Apparatus for the control of highway crossing signals



Jan. 8,1929, a 1,698,459 L'. E. SPRAY.

APPARATUS FOR TH CONTROL 0F HIGHWAY CROSS'NG SIGNALS Filed sept 14,` 1926 1 6v` i292; @mma Patented Jan, 8, 1929.

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Lnsrnn n. SPRAY, or wrLKrNsBUne, PENNsYLvA'nrA, assronoa To THE UNION 'y SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF APPARATUS THE CONTROL OF HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNALS.

Application led September 1A, 1926. Serial No. 135,386. i

My invention relates to apparatus for the control of highway crossing signals, that is,

j. signals locatedl adjacent the intersection of railways and highways for indicating to those using the highway whether or not a train isr approaching. l

l will "describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims. v Y

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a' diagrammatic view showing a modified form of apparatus also embodying my in vention. Y

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring lirst to Fig. l, the reference cham acters l and la designate the rails of a. stretch of 'railwaytrack along whi-ch traliic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow. These rails are divided by 'insulated joints 2 to form a track section A-C, and the stretch of track is intersected by a highway Q, at an intermediate point in this section. fr A At a point to the right of the highway Q, the rail la is provided with a short'insulated rail section 3 formed by insulated joints A and 4a. Adjacent the highway Q, this rail is provided with a short insulated section' 54 formed by insulated joints@ and 6a. A bond 7 isV connected around the short insulated section 3,and a bond 8 is connected around the short insulated section 5.

The reference character Tl designates ay VRlhas one terminal connected with the insulated section 3 and its `other terminal connected with the rail la. Inother words,the secondary of transformer T? is connected with the rail around the insulated joint 4 and the same thing is true of the control'relay R1. It follows that relay R1 is normally energized, but will be momentarily de-energlze'd when a train bridges 'the insulatedjoint 4' connected with the secondary of 'transformer D( The secondary of transformer T2 is conf nected' in series with a second control relay R2 around the insulated joint 6a, so thatrelay R2 1s normally de-energizcd but will be momentarily energized when the wheels ofa train bridge the insulate-d joints 6EL or 6.

j Located adjacent the highway Q is a high;k way crossing signal S which is governed by a sional relay H. RelayH-is provided 'with a pick-up circuit which'passes from theposii I tive terminal of a battery G, through front contact 9 of relay R1, front Contact 11 of relay R2, and winding of relay H to the negative terminal of battery G. Relay H is alsol pro-- vided with a. stick circuit whichpasses from the positive'terminal of battery G, through front Contact) of relayl R1, front contact l0 of relay H, and winding of relayH to the'negative terminal of battery G. f

- vThe signal S, as here shown, is ofthe three- A aspect wigfwagj type,l having an operating circuit-and a holding circuit' The operating circuit for this signal is from the positive terminal of battery G, through wire 12operatmg mechanism of signal S, and lwire 18 to the circuit for .the 'signal Sy is from the positive terminal of battery G, 'through back'contact 14 of relay R72, front Contact l5 of relayl-I, the operating mechanism of signal Si, and wire 13 to the negative terminalof battery G.

,negative terminal of battery G. The holding.

The operation of theapparatus, is as follows: In the'absenceof trains,"'relay'R1 is energized. and relay R2 VisA"de-energize-id, so

that relay'H isgheldclosed bvywits stickcir.-

cuit, and the signal 'S is latched in its clear position because its holding circuit is closed.

When a train moving toward the left bridges insulated joint A, it will de-energ'izerelay R1,

.thereby opening the stick circuit for relay H,-

so that the holding'v circuit for signal S will be yopened at contact y 15 of relay, H. The signal will then be set into operation to indicate thejapproach of a train. As soony as the entire train has passedinsulated joint t, relay R1 will again become energized, but relay H will remain cle-energized. When the train bridges insulated joint 6, relay Rzwill become energized, so that the pick-up circuit for relay 'H will become closed at contact ll. As soon as the rear of the train has passed insulated joint 6, Vrelay R2 will again become cle-energized, butvrelay H will remain energized due to its stick circuit. The holding circuit for signal S is now closed at back contact'l/l of relay R2 and front contact-l5 of relay H, s othat the operation of this sig- A-C is nal is discontinued. Y

As here shown, the track section provided with a. signa-l K for governing railway tra-flic through the section. yThis signal is located at the point Gand is controlled by 'n contact 'l9of a. track relay L, which forms part of altrack circuit including a transformer M.` y

Referring now'tok Fig. 2, the control relay R2 isigoverned in the same manner as `the i i corresponding relay in F ig. l, but the control relay R1 is connected in series with the secondary of transformer T1 around the insulated. joint fla. It follows tha-t relay .R1 in thisfview is normally de-energized but' will be momentarily energized when a train bridges eitherV of thev insulated joints 4t Y R1, front contact lOof relay H, and winding of relay; H to the negative terminal of battery G. 'The operating circuit for the highway crossing signal'S-is the same asin Fig. l.

i kThe holding circuit for this signal is from relay .H, operating. mechanism ofV signal S,

f the transformer T2.

Vthe positive terminalof battery G, through wire 12,',back contact 9EL yof relay R1, back Vcontact 14 of relay R2, front contact v15 of andwire 13 to the negative terminal of battery G. Y

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2! andH thus far described, is as follows: When a train moving toward the left bridges insulated joint 45%,.it energizes relayV R1, thereby opening the stick circuit for relay H and so opening the holding circuit for signal S at 'both contacts 9a andl 15. n This sets signal S into operation. WVhen the train bridges insulated joint 6u, it energizes relay R2, thereby closing the pick-up 'circuit for relay H, so that after relay R2 Vagain becomes cle-energized the holding circuit for signal S will? be closed and so the operation of this signal will cease.

Ifa broken `down insulated rail-l joint i or @should eXist simultaneously with a broken bond`7 or 8 respectively, while a train is between insulated section' 3 andpoint A, there will be a possibility that *track relay L might be falselyv energized by transformer T1y or nal K due to this condition can be prevented False operation of sigby a safety relay P having a front contact 18 included in the circuit for signal K. The circuit for relay P is from the positive terminal of battery G, through back contactlGof relay Rback contact 17 of relayr R1, and winding of relay P tothe negative terminal of battery G. 'ltV follows that'relay P is energized only when relays R1 and R2are both cle-energized, and since any false'operation of track relay L by transformers Til or T2 can occur only when one or the other of these transformers is supplying current to the track railsV through its associa-ted relay R1 or R2, itfollows that relay Pl cannot be energized if such yfalse supply of current is occurrino.`

flthough I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that vari- -ous changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of ythe appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. 'Y

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: Y

l. ln combination, a stretchV of railway track intersected by a highway, two control relays connected with the track rails and arranged to -be momentarily operated respectively by a train approaching the highway anda train passing the highway, a signa'lrelay having a stick circuit opened by the eperation of the control relay first affected by a train moving along said stretch and a pick-up control relay, and a highwav crossing signal Y the track rails and arranged to be momentarily energized respectively by la train approaching the highway and a train passing the highway, a signal relay havinga pick-up circuit controlled by a front contact ofI the second controly relay operatedby a passing Vtrain and a stick circuit controlledl by a back contact of the control relay first operated by a passing train, and ahighway crossing. signal controlled by said signal relay. l

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a'highway, two normally cle-energizedy control relays connectedV vwith thetrack rails and arranged to be momentarily energized respectively b y a train approaching the highway and a train passing the'highj way, a stick relay governed by said controlo,

relays, a highway crossing signal controlled by said stick relay, asafety relay controlled by' said two control relays, anda signal governing traiiic along saidstretch of railway track and controlledin part by said safety relay.

4i. In combination, a stretch of railway track', intersected' by a highway, twoV norcircuit closed by the operation of the other 00d safety relay.

mally de-energized lcontrol relays connected with the track rails and arranged to be momentarily energized respectively by a train approaching the highway and a train passing the highway, a stick relay governed by said' control relays, a highway crossing signal con trolled by said stick relay, a safety relay provided with a circuit including in series a back contact of each of said .control relays, and a signai governing traffic along said stretch of railway track and controlled in part by said 5. In combination, a stretch of railway track, intersected by a highway, two control relays connected with the track rails and arranged to be momentarily operated respectivelyvby a train approaching the highway and a train passing the highway, a stick relay governed by said control relays, a highway crossing signal controlled by said stick relay, a safety relay controlled by said two control relays, and a signal governing traflic along said stretch of railway track and controlled in part by said safety relay.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway and provided with a short insulated rail section located at a distance from the highway in the direction from which trains approach the highway, said stretch being provided with a second short insulated rail section adjacentthe highway, a source of current and a first control relay connected in seriesy around one of the insulated joints of said rst short section, and a source of current and a second control relay connected in series around one of the insulated joints of saidsecond short section, a stick relay governedby said control relays, and a highway crossing signal controlled by said stick relay. i

7. In combination, a stretch of railway Vlated joints of said second short section, a signal. relay having a stick circuitcontrolled by a back contact of said first control relay and a pick-up circuit controlledby a front contact of saidsecond control relay, and a highway crossing signal governed by said signal relay.

8. In combination, a stretch of j railway track intersected by a highway and provided with a short insulated rail section located at a distance from the highway in the direction from which trains approach the highway, said stretch being provided with a second short insulated rail section adjacent the highway,

a source of current and a first control relay connected in series around'one of the insulated joints of said iirst short section, a source of curren't'and a second control relay connected inseries around one of the insulated joints of said second short section, a stick relay governed by said control relays, a high* way crossing signal controlled by said stick relay, a safety relay arranged to be energized only when both of said control relays are deenergized, and a signal governing traflic along said railway stretch and controlled'in part by said safety relay. i

In testimony whereof I aihk my signature i LESTER E. SPRAY. 

